The present invention relates to insulating devices and specifically to thermal insulating devices for use in conjunction with fluid conduits.
As is well known to those skilled in the art, the transporation of fluids through fluid-conducting conduits poses significant difficulties when the temperature of the immediately surrounding atmosphere is substantially different from that of the fluid itself. Such problems may arise under a multiplicity of differing conditions. For example, water pipes exposed to sub-freezing temperatures are particularly vulnerable to bursting when the water therein is allowed to freeze. In addition, the conduits used for the transportation of fluids whose temperature differs from that of the surrounding atmosphere, such as hot water pipes and air conditioning ducts are extremely vulnerable to transfers of large amounts of heat through the poorly insulating conduit materials. The prevention of such thermal transport losses has become one of ever-increasing importance in light of the necessity for fuel conservation.
Various devices such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,903,106 to Gillies; 2,099,669 to Bangs et al.; 2,650,180 to Walker; 2,985,552 to Watanable; 3,650,299 to Seiler et al.; and 3,906,129 to Damois have been utilized to prevent or minimize such thermal transport. Each of the aforementioned patents attempts to minimize thermal transport by surrounding the object for which insulation is desired by a layer containing thermally insulating materials. The surrounding of articles, in and of itself, is a well known method of operation as is indicated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 326,012 to Brooks; 2,124,259 to Murch; 2,344,369 to Salfisberg; 2,928,411 to Johnson; 2,966,226 to Kalis; and 3,519,023 to Burnes Sr. et al.; 3,143,154 to Best; and 3,185,197 to Spiro et al.
Despite the constant and increasing need for an efficient and effective thermal insulator for fluid conduits, each of the presently existing devices adapted for such use appears to be unwieldly, difficult to install and difficult to remove quickly and efficiently.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an insulating device for use with fluid conduits which will efficiently and effectively insulate such conduits against thermal transfer.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a thermal insulator which will continuously perform its function despite wide variations in the temperature of both the fluid conduit and the surrounding atmosphere.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a wide-range thermal insulator which may be simply and easily installed about the fluid conduit.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide an easily installed wide temperature range thermal insulator which may be readily removed.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described which is simple in construction, inexpensive, sturdy and resistant to the surrounding environmental conditions.